FN won't be able to sell AR-15s to civilians. I believe it is part of the contract. But good for FN, they make quality products. Every M16 I've ever held is FN.

Not sure how such a stipulation could be put on FN when it wasn't enforced on Colt or Sabre (before Sabre went TU), and I doubt Remington was going to give up it's civilian AR line just to get the military contract.

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Not sure how such a stipulation could be put on FN when it wasn't enforced on Colt or Sabre (before Sabre went TU), and I doubt Remington was going to give up it's civilian AR line just to get the military contract.

I think it has to do with Colt owning the TDP. My research indicates that any company not named Colt that takes up an M4 contract with the military can't sell to civilians. Sabre I don't think even got one out of the factory.

I think it has to do with Colt owning the TDP. My research indicates that any company not named Colt that takes up an M4 contract with the military can't sell to civilians. Sabre I don't think even got one out of the factory.

I'd be interested to see where that info is coming from. All of that just seems awfully odd to me.

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I think it has to do with Colt owning the TDP. My research indicates that any company not named Colt that takes up an M4 contract with the military can't sell to civilians. Sabre I don't think even got one out of the factory.

How can Colt own the TDP when the US Army Board of Ordnance contracted them to develop the M4 and M4A1 in the first place?

How can Colt own the TDP when the US Army Board of Ordnance contracted them to develop the M4 and M4A1 in the first place?

I really don't know the ins and outs of it but Colt at some point owned the rights to the TDP. They bought IP from Armalite. The Army contacted them to develop the M4 but Colt still created it. The Army set standards and Colt created a product to meet them. Whether FN makes the M4 and M4A1 or the contract gets pieced out among several companies, they would pay royalties to Colt on each rifle just as FN has on the M16.

How can Colt own the TDP when the US Army Board of Ordnance contracted them to develop the M4 and M4A1 in the first place?

Quote:

Originally Posted by daddysnapmuffins

I really don't know the ins and outs of it but Colt at some point owned the rights to the TDP. They bought IP from Armalite. The Army contacted them to develop the M4 but Colt still created it. The Army set standards and Colt created a product to meet them. Whether FN makes the M4 and M4A1 or the contract gets pieced out among several companies, they would pay royalties to Colt on each rifle just as FN has on the M16.

This.

Colt owns the TDP. If Colt wins the contract, they earn their fee on each rifle produced, if Colt loses the contract (which they did), they get their royalties on each rifle produced via second-source.

Read up on it below, especially the comically stupid behavior of NSWC Crane in improperly disclosing the M4 TDP while trying to buy... an M4 simunitions kit.

Short version- US Army Rock Island gave the Navy a copy of the M4 Addendum to the TDP (Colt's Secret Sauce/ Coke Formula) and they attached it to a solicitation and blasted it out to 21 of Colt's competitors...

20 of them returned the TDP and signed docs stating, "I didn't see nothing..."

The 21st was Fabrique Nationale- who instead of signing the paper returned a random unsolicited bid to produce M4s to the specs that were leaked for less money.

The hilarity goes on as Colt jacked their prices from $521 to $912 for a stripped base gun after the war kicked off, and then eventually $1,221 for a kitted M4.

The hilarity goes on as Colt jacked their prices from $521 to $912 for a stripped base gun after the war kicked off, and then eventually $1,221 for a kitted M4.

Those were the good old days...

Inflation sure had gone up a bit. I remembered when I went through the US Army armorer's course, we were shown that an M16A2 costed Uncle Sam $135. Of course this was probably back in 1987 or 1988, I can't remember.

Many of the Gov. contracts I deal with have a Small Minority Business mandated component. I would like to know if this contact mandates this also.

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The MBE/WBE/SBE/DBE requirement probably comes in under accessories like mags, slings and other non-essential stuff. So the slings are probably made from "Lighthouse For the Blind" or something like that.

The MBE/WBE/SBE/DBE requirement probably comes in under accessories like mags, slings and other non-essential stuff. So the slings are probably made from "Lighthouse For the Blind" or something like that.

I was anticipating this to be the rifle and accessories.

I thought the sights were made by the "Lighthouse For the Blind".

It use to be that the magazines were made by small minority businesses. The problem was that the contract was so lucrative that the business would grow and make money for a year and then it would not qualify as a small business.

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One day, I shall come back. Yes, I shall come back. Until then, there must be no regrets, no tears, no anxieties. Just go forward in all your beliefs and prove to me that I am not mistaken in mine.

It use to be that the magazines were made by small minority businesses. The problem was that the contract was so lucrative that the business would grow and make money for a year and then it would not qualify as a small business.

That's not the "problem-" that's the entire point of the SBA and it's programs.

The "problem" to some may be that it makes more sense for a company to divest itself of the most profitable business unit than break the size standard and go into full and open competition... creating two seperate qualified small businesses rather than graduating from the program and competing their next contract against Boeing, General Dynamics, ManTech, BAE, etc...

Also, I'm not sure what your hang up is on "minority owned" but there are all types of SB categories- 8(a), SDVOSB, VOSB, WOSB, HubZone, ANC, etc.

The most lucrative magazine contract in recent history went to Magpul.

You missed the joke. Blind making slings is not funny, it is just work which I am sure they can do.. Blind making sights is funny. Not to say they can not do it, but it is funny in an ironic way.

Quote:

Originally Posted by KalashniKEV

That's not the "problem-" that's the entire point of the SBA and it's programs.

Also, I'm not sure what your hang up is on "minority owned" but there are all types of SB categories- 8(a), SDVOSB, VOSB, WOSB, HubZone, ANC, etc.

My issue is I have seen the contract NOT go to the best product or best priced produce because the they wanted a small minority owned business to do the work.

I have also seen the contract be divided in screwy ways so it goes to the correct states.

I have also watched organizations divide and reform so they can work the system.

When you include race and sex on the forms, you create a way for people to be racist and sexist. If you eliminate all everything except for the facts....all you have is price and quality and past performance.

Or to put it a different way, If the Gov. spend the money like it was coming out of their personal pocket or their life depended on it working, they wouldn't do it like we do.

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One day, I shall come back. Yes, I shall come back. Until then, there must be no regrets, no tears, no anxieties. Just go forward in all your beliefs and prove to me that I am not mistaken in mine.

It all depends on how you want to set up the contract. Set aside for a separate bid or force a certain percentage to a small business as part of the larger contract. It can be done either way.

All contracting authorities have different SB goals. How rigidly enforced they are depends on the Dep/Agency/Org. For a lot of them, if you don't meet your SB goals, you get less money next year.

Quote:

Originally Posted by RWBlue

My issue is I have seen the contract NOT go to the best product or best priced produce because the they wanted a small minority owned business to do the work.

OK... we get it, minorities...

There are also set asides for HUBZones that provide jobs for Americans in rural, or declining urban areas where they would otherwise wither away and die.

There are set asides for Service Disabled Veterans who got broken in the course of their service to Nation.

There are set asides for Woman Owned Small businesses that help women succeed.

These are just the rules of the game. Hate it or love it. Also, if you're in the game you know that competition is still just as cutthroat in these smaller pools.

Quote:

Originally Posted by RWBlue

When you include race and sex on the forms, you create a way for people to be racist and sexist. If you eliminate all everything except for the facts....all you have is price and quality and past performance.

...and Technical.

The government has an "agenda" to not just pour money into the mega corporations of the military industrial complex.

They take care of Small Business in many ways (as above). This creates healthy competition in the different pools. Also, sometimes when a "graduated" lean-and-mean SB *does* make a shot at going big time, they can pose a real threat to an organization who has spent their money building glass castles, filling them with retired Generals, and giving out fat retirements and bennies.

All contracting authorities have different SB goals. How rigidly enforced they are depends on the Dep/Agency/Org. For a lot of them, if you don't meet your SB goals, you get less money next year.

Exactly!

Quote:

Originally Posted by KalashniKEV

OK... we get it, minorities...

No, or not always. In fact one of the minority groups does a GREAT job at what they do, but another minority group is working the system.

I want minority gorup1 because they do a great job. I would really like to see group2 go away.

Quote:

Originally Posted by KalashniKEV

These are just the rules of the game. Hate it or love it. Also, if you're in the game you know that competition is still just as cutthroat in these smaller pools.

Sometimes yes, sometimes no, sometimes I think we would be better off going to the strip club to support single mothers because we are not getting what we need.

Quote:

Originally Posted by KalashniKEV

The government has an "agenda"

I don't like using the term "the government" for items like this. Someone has an agenda, but...

There was an article in forbes recently about the presidents and their wealth. It was very interesting. We could also look at different Senators and Representatives who have consulting companies they own or work for.....It is not all Rep or Dem, it is both of them.

On a side note, I finally finished 2 more SOWs. We will see what I get. I think I wrote them tight enough to get quality, but then again.... Anyone want to make a bet? I am betting at least 50% of these SOW $ go to a SB or a SMOB and the bids will be higher than if it was just for an open compete.

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One day, I shall come back. Yes, I shall come back. Until then, there must be no regrets, no tears, no anxieties. Just go forward in all your beliefs and prove to me that I am not mistaken in mine.